Every year, up to 73 million sharks are slaughtered for their fins, meat, cartilage, liver, and skin. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 30% of shark species are threatened or near threatened with extinction.

In Mexico, whale sharks are treasured members of the ocean. Even though swimming with whale sharks brings in 100 million pesos to the local economy each year, these and other shark species are not protected.

El Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA) and international advocates Los Defensores de los Tiburones (Shark Defenders) have teamed up to support shark conservation in Southerneastern Mexico.